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January 2010

January 29, 2010

In late 1922, the British archaeologist Howard Carter unearthed and opened the sealed tomb of King Tutankhamun in Luxor, Egypt. Though Egyptian art and ornament had served as a source of artistic inspiration for many centuries, the discovery of King Tutankhamun's tomb created an immediate renewal of interest in Egypt throughout Europe and North America. Reporters present at the opening of the tomb sent frequent articles and images to their home newspapers, resulting in widespread knowledge of the archaeological find. By early 1923, Egypt (or fanciful perceptions of Egypt) had inspired a wave of Egyptian-influenced garments, accessories and decorative embellishments.

January 27, 2010

In 1992, Italian designer Gianni Versace was fascinated with the American West. That year, his collections featured design elements typically associated with the cowboy or cowgirl: boots, fringed leather, jackets with metal tipped lapels and Western motifs. Given Versace's reputation for designing aggressively sexual clothing, it is no surprise that his "Western wear" forced fashion writers to search for words "other than 'bondage' and 'sadomasochism' to describe the clothes."1 Though hinting at the practicality of leather garments sometimes worn by working cowhands, this fringed and studded leather vest lined with shearling would probably be more at home in a dark nightclub than out on the range.

January 25, 2010

Today's post on Howard Greer was written by costume historian Shelly Foote. From 1994-2004, Shelly worked with the Costume Collection at The National Museum of American History as the Assistant Chair in the Division of Social History. Retired since 2004, Shelly is closely involved with the Costume Society of America and is also researching a book on Howard Greer. As part of this process, Shelly has examined and researched Howard Greer garments in the FIDM Museum collection. In this post, Shelly shares some of her findings on the work of Howard Greer.

Howard Greer (1896-1974), born in Illinois and raised in Nebraska, was fascinated by the world of fashion and theater as a young man. So, after college, he pursued and obtained a position with Lucile (Lady Duff Gordon), first at her establishment in Chicago and then in New York. After his military service in World War I he asked to be mustered out in Paris – where he reconnected with Lucile.

He returned to New York in 1921. After designing a few garments for the theater, he was offered a job in Hollywood with Famous Players-Lasky (later Paramount). He designed for many films which featured the silent movie star, Pola Negri. Unfortunately, many of these movies have been lost. In 1925 he was made head of the wardrobe department.

In 1927 Greer opened a couture salon in Hollywood patterned after the House of Lucile, both in how the salon looked and how the garments were made. Patronized by Hollywood movie stars, his collections were featured in movie and fashion magazines and Women's Wear Daily. Garments were rumored to take weeks to produce, required frequent fittings and were notoriously expensive.1 Garments made by Greer incorporated fine quality fabrics and were beautifully finished.

Greer continued to design for the movies on a freelance basis, most famously for Mary Pickford in Coquette (1929) and Katharine Hepburn in Bringing Up Baby (1938).

Greer and Travis Banton, who had also worked at Paramount, formed a short-lived partnership in 1938. FIDM Museum owns the only known existing garment from this partnership - a heavily embroidered and beaded jacket worn by Marlene Dietrich.

January 22, 2010

In 1872, fashion periodicals such as Godey's Lady's Book, Peterson's Magazine and Harper's Bazaar were filled with references to various styles of the polonaise dress. Whether a princess, vest, Russian or dolman polonaise, the common characteristic was a gathered and bunched puff of fabric at the back. Created through interior ties that pulled the fabric upwards, the polonaise was essentially a fitted overdress worn over a skirt of matching or contrasting fabric. In April of 1872, Harper's Bazaar suggested that a white polonaise was most useful, "as it may be worn effectively over black or colored silks as well as with the white skirt that complements it."

You can read more about Vestoj here. Their blog lists several stores in Europe that carry the journal, but for those of us in other locations, it might be a bit tricky to find a copy. Post a comment letting us know where you found your copy!

As a special treat for our dedicated readers, here is another ensemble featured in the High Style exhibition catalog. Copies of the catalog are available from the FIDM Museum Shop.

January 20, 2010

With a heel of about 5 1/2" and a platform sole roughly 3 1/2" thick, these dramatic boots are an extreme example of the platform shoes, sandals and boots popular in the first half of the 1970s. Perhaps even more notable then their extreme height is the fact that platform shoes of this era were worn by both men and women. In a final flowering of the Peacock Revolution, men wore platform boots and shoes featuring contrasting color combinations, appliques and exotic leathers with unusual finishes, including wet-look and crinkle leather. In 1972, a shoe salesman interviewed by the New York Times reported that his male customers were unafraid to experiment, saying that "the freakier the shoe, the higher the platform and heel, the better it sells."1

January 13, 2010

Like shoes, handbags and purses straddle the line between functional and decorative objects. Though many women (and some men) consider them necessary containers for objects such as keys or money, the sheer diversity of available styles demonstrates that handbags are also a design object in their own right. Until about 1800, when menswear became more sedate and less decorative, both men and women carried purses on a regular basis. From this point onward, men typically carried compact wallets or a very small pouch tucked in a sleeve or pocket. Women continued to carry decorative purses, creating an association between handbags and femininity.

January 11, 2010

As designer for Lanvin since 2002, Alber Elbaz has brought new life to what had become a house on the periphery of fashion. Founded in 1885 as a millinery shop, Lanvin flourished under the direction of its founder, Jeanne Lanvin. Lanvin excelled in the creation of elegant, sophisticated garments with a distinct silhouette and inventive surface decoration. After Lanvin's death in 1946, a series of designers headed the house, though none to such acclaim as Jeanne Lanvin herself. It was only with the hiring of Alber Elbaz that Lanvin began to return to a position of prominence. Though Elbaz's designs for Lanvin are lauded for their modernity, it is possible to find traces of Jeanne Lanvin's aesthetic running throughout his work.

January 08, 2010

Stephen Burrows' first fashion show, held in 1970 at Henri Bendel in Manhattan, was accompanied by a disco soundtrack. In attendance were not only members of the fashion establishment, but also "hordes of boys and girls in brilliant plumage who looked as if they came from the nearest rock festival, only cleaner."1 On show were garments of studded leather, form-fitting sweaters and dresses of a simple, fluid cut in a riot of colors. As one attendee noted, Burrows "has an absolute disregard for the established laws of color."2

January 06, 2010

For those of you who asked for more video after watching The Couture Process, you are in luck today! The FIDM Video Gallery, where you will find various FIDM related videos, currently features a short segment titled "Opening Party: Betsy Bloomingdale Exhibition." The video features footage of the exhibition opening along with a short section of the documentary featured in High Style: Betsy Bloomingdale and the HauteCouture.

Copies of the catalog are still available, so if you'd like a copy, visit the FIDM Museum Shop. The catalog features beautiful images, including this image of a 1962 James Galanos day suit.